Retired teachers meet for lunch on first day of school

What do retired teachers do on the first day of school? Fifteen had lunch at Chic n’ Chop.

Tuesday’s back-to-school lunch was the idea of Elsie Hollenbeck, who retired 12 years ago after 25 years of teaching language arts at Valley View Elementary.

“It was really hard for me at first,” Hollenbeck said about retiring. “You can’t help but miss it. It was a part of my life.”

Former second-grade Mt. Hall teacher, Pam Brink still helps out one day a week.

“It’s my kid fix,” said Brink, who retired in 2005 after 28 years of teaching. “I think about what the kids would be doing right now. I just smile and keep doing whatever it is I’m doing.”

Missing out on the first day of school isn’t as hard for former Bonners Ferry High School social studies teacher George Kalb.

Kalb retired in 1978 after 24 years of teaching and went to work full time for the US Forest Service.

“I was busy with another job,” he said. “I sort of missed it but we were probably burning that day.”

“I think this lunch is neat,” Kalb continued. “I haven’t seen some of these people for a long time.”

For Dave Gray, who taught social science at the high school for 32 years, the first day isn’t hard.

“It’s a good feeling to know I’m still teaching,” Gray said. “It’s just not at a school.”